As it happened: Roxon, Evans quit Gillard's Cabinet

Attorney-General Nicola Roxon and Senate leader Chris Evans have stood down from their portfolios, triggering a major Cabinet reshuffle eight months out from the federal election.

Ms Roxon will move to the backbench until the election then leave politics, creating a vacancy in her safe Melbourne seat of Gellibrand, while Senator Evans says he will leave the Senate within months.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has been forced to reshuffle the Cabinet, moving Mark Dreyfus into the Attorney-General's role.

She told reporters in Canberra this will be the team she takes to the September 14 election.

Look back at how Saturday's announcement unfolded. (All times in AEDT.)

"I'm thrilled and honoured to be serving as Australia's first law officer. I have been sitting in Cabinet as the Cabinet Secretary since the election, so to some extent that will be a familiar environment, but of course the workload will increase and I'm thrilled to have this opportunity.

"I've had a long career in the law and it's a career that's given me... a number of deep beliefs about the Australian legal system, such as Australian laws are there to protect and care for all Australians - our elderly, our workers, our injured, outspoken journalists.

"As well I think that Australian laws need to reflect our national values of fairness and equality of opportunity."

1:44pm: Following the reshuffle, the Liberal Party's Christopher Pyne, who is Manager of Opposition Business, tells reporters Ms Gillard needs to convince people the Government is stable.

"The Prime Minister's alibi today about the resignations from her frontbench doesn't stack up.

"She says she's been talking to Nicola Roxon for 12 months about resigning from the Cabinet and yet 12 months ago, she was defeating Kevin Rudd in the leadership ballot and then appointed Nicola Roxon as Attorney-General."

He also speculated that other MPs would be quitting:

"My understanding is there are more resignations to come from the frontbench and from the Parliament."

1:20pm: ABC radio's Saturday AM had a 10-minute special program looking at the winners and losers in the Cabinet reshuffle.

12:17pm: ABC political editor Lyndal Curtis says Chris Bowen hasn't been demoted by being moved from the immigration ministry:

"He remains in Cabinet. There's all a ranking of Cabinet ministers in order of seniority. The PM is first, the Deputy PM second, then the Senate leader. I think the Immigration Minister is slightly higher on that Cabinet ranking than some other ministers.

"But Chris Bowen has been Immigration Minister for quite some time. It's a very difficult and demanding job. Especially when you have a young family.

"He has had previously an economic focus. That's the sort of thing he enjoys. The role gets him back into an economic focus, it's tertiary education, skills, science research and also small business.

"So I think he would welcome a focus back on the economic portfolios. The PM certainly believes it's a promotion and a couple of other senior MPs ministers I've spoken to also say that it is a good job"

12:13pm: Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan has tweeted:

"Australia is a better country because of the contribution of Nicola Roxon & Chris Evans. We wish them & their families all the very best."

12:00pm: Take a look at who's going where:

Out

Chris Evans

Chris Evans steps down as Labor Senate leader and resigns from Cabinet, effective in the next couple of months.

Nicola Roxon

Ms Roxon moves to the backbench and will not be contesting this year's federal election, creating a vacancy in her safe Melbourne seat of Gellibrand.

In

Mark Dreyfus

Mark Dreyfus will replace Ms Roxon as Attorney-General and Minister for Emergency Management, relinquishing the role of Cabinet Secretary.

Mike Kelly

Mike Kelly enters the Ministry as Minister for Defence Materiel.

Jason Clare

Jason Clare takes on the role of Cabinet Secretary and retains Home Affairs and Justice.

On the move

Chris Bowen

Chris Bowen will replace Senator Evans as Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research. He will also have responsibility for Small Business.

Mark Butler

Mark Butler takes on Housing and Homelessness.

Brendan O'Connor

Brendan O'Connor will become Minister for Immigration and Citizenship.

Mark Dreyfus will replace Ms Roxon as Attorney-General and Minister for Emergency Management, relinquishing the role of Cabinet Secretary to Jason Clare, who retains Home Affairs and Justice.

Brendan O'Connor will become Minister for Immigration and Citizenship whilst Mark Butler takes on Housing and Homelessness.

Mike Kelly enters the Ministry as Minister for Defence Materiel.

Ms Gillard says she also welcomes new Parliamentary Secretaries Yvette D'Ath (Climate Change and Energy Efficiency), Kelvin Thompson (Trade) and Melissa Parke (Mental Health, Homelessness and Social Housing) and thanks Justine Elliot for her contribution in the Trade portfolio.

11:28am: Julia Gillard is speaking again, with a tissue on hand - she says it's been an emotional day.

11:25am: Nicola Roxon says she is amazed we have a Prime Minister "made of titanium".

11:23am: Nicola Roxon also has a dig at Opposition Leader Tony Abbott:

"My only regret as health minister is the inordinate amount of time we were too long fixing many of the problems that Mr Abbott left from his time as health minister. A lot of my time, a lot of the Government's time, a lot of staff and bureaucratic time fixing issues that were simply neglected for the nearly four years that he was the health minister."

11:22am: Both Nicola Roxon and Chris Evans have said they believe Labor can win the election in September.

Roxon is now talking about her achievements as health minister and Attorney-General.

11:20am: Roxon struggling to hold back tears. She says she is struggling to keep doing her job at 200 per cent.

"All of us need to make decisions about the right time to leave and I believe the right time is now and I must say PM, what was a very difficult decision was made a lot easier by the fact that the Labor Party does bat so deep. The PM has a wealth of talent and ability and enthusiasm to choose from in replacing me and in replacing Chris."

11:19am: Nicola Roxon up now. Confirms she is standing down.

11:18am: Chris Evans says Julia Gillard is the "outstanding PM of her generation". He also pays tribute to his staff:

"I want to thank my staff in particular, this in game you're only as good as your staff. I've had great support from my staff, tremendously talented and loyal people."

11:15am: Chris Evans:

"I want to make it very clear, I'm not leaving tired, sick or bitter, I'm leaving fit, healthy and confident of the future of the Government."

11:13am: Chris Evans says he is stepping down as Labor Senate leader and resigning from Cabinet, effective in the next couple of months.

"I want to thank the PM for her support, she indicated that we had a conversation a fair while ago now about a planned departure and that I indicated I would go at the time of her convenience as she reshaped the team for the coming election."

11:11am: Chris Evans speaking now. He cracks a joke that Julia Gillard spoke so nicely about him that now he doesn't want to leave.

"He shaped changes to our temporary and permanent skilled migration streams, he made sure that that was serving our economy and he played a major role in cracking down on the rorts in 457 visas, the temporary visas bringing people into the country who were being exploited once they got here. He abolished temporary protection visas and detention debt and introduced Labor's detention values for the treatment of asylum seekers."

11:06am: Julia Gillard says Evans and Roxon are standing down. She has been discussing their moves with them since last year.

"They certainly go with my thanks and they will be able to reflect on a proud track record of achievement."

10:52am: It's been a dramatic week in politics. First Julia Gillard surprised most people - even those in her own Government - by announcing a federal election would be held on September 14.

10:17am: Opposition leader Tony Abbott is in Bundaberg and says Australians have the right to expect stability in the Government.

"It is going to be very important in the days and weeks ahead that there is a strong and stable government in Canberra and I regret to say that just at the moment that doesn't appear to be the case," he said.

"Now I hope the Prime Minister can steady her ship and offer stable Government."